Many people turn their noses up at beef liver, but there are those who love it. If you are part of the second group, know that it can provide numerous benefits to the body, since it carries many nutrients.

However, all it takes is a quick search on the Internet for the protein, and one piece of information stands out: is beef liver really a source of saturated fats We went to ask a specialist:

Benefits of beef liver

"It is a nutrient-rich food that is part of the menu of many families - as well as other viscera no less important for the health of the body," says nutritionist Dayse Paravidino.

The viscera are internal organs of the animal's body. They are subdivided into two groups: muscular viscera (texture and appearance of meat, such as tongue, heart and gizzard) and secretory viscera (brighter and gooey, like the liver and testicles).

Beef liver, specifically, contains substances that are important for various cellular processes, including the enhancement of immune system They are:

Vitamin A

Vitamin A was discovered in 1913. Years later, scientists identified its basic structure: the retinol But it was only in 1976 that the term "retinoid" was coined to name the group of natural or synthetic vitamin A substances.

It is an anti-inflammatory vitamin, and therefore also benefits immunity, eyesight, and skin. study performed at the Medical University of Vienna in Austria.

Vitamin B5

Vitamin B5 is part of the B complex and performs such functions in the body as producing cholesterol, hormones, and red blood cells. Its name is actually pantothenic acid, and it is especially beneficial for the skin health In addition, it is notorious for helping to relieve stress and anxiety.

Vitamin B6

Also called pyridoxine, it has several functions in the body, including helping to convert macronutrients into energy and preventing diseases, i.e., strengthening immunity. serotonin is the happiness hormone, and is important for cardiovascular health.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 (whose name is also cobalamin) integrates several important functions, starting with the nervous system, besides acting directly in the repair of our DNA, in the formation of red blood cells, and even in the prevention of cancer. depression .

Vitamin C

Commonly known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is present in some foods and can also be obtained through supplements (effervescent tablets, gum drops, pills and liquid). This type of vitamin is vital for humans and needs to be part of the diet, because the body does not produce it naturally. Therefore, the preference is to initially ingest itthrough the feeding .

Read also: Fake News: beef liver does not cure flu

Folate (folic acid)

Folic acid, which is also known as folate, is the B9 vitamin. It plays a key role in the cell multiplication process and in the formation of structural proteins. In addition, it is essential for the renewal of red blood cells in the blood and its lack in the body can lead to anemia .

The nutrient is also important for protecting the body against cardiovascular disease and for the health of the nervous system, and it strengthens the health of the skin, nails, and hair. Other benefits of folate include: enhancing the immune system, boosting brain function and cognitive ability, and supporting the balance of emotional health .

Selenium

A mineral with a powerful antioxidant action, of enormous importance for the health of the human body. bones for example.

Riboflavin in ox liver

Vitamin B2, which is also called riboflavin, is important for the body because it participates in many functions, such as stimulating blood production, keeping the blood metabolism adequate, favor the growth and development of the child, and prevent diseases, since it has antioxidant activity.

Copper

Among its functions, the mineral is linked to the transport of iron, the strengthening of immunity, and brain health. In the case of babies, copper is important for the formation of the immune system.

According to one study conducted at the University of Nebraska in the United States, copper and zinc are two of the most important minerals that should be more abundant in the diet.

Zinc

Essentially, zinc has some essential functions for the maintenance of life, such as: synthesis of proteins and DNA, cell division, as well as direct action on the immune system.

Read also: Anemia in children: know the types, causes, symptoms and treatments

Is beef liver bad for cholesterol?

Beef liver has significant amounts of fat - especially saturated fat, which may concern some people. But the nutritionist explains it best: "For most of us, exogenous cholesterol (that which we ingest in food) is of little importance for the negative changes in endogenous cholesterol (produced by the body itself and circulating through the bloodstream)."

In other words, foods that are good sources of fat, such as eggs, dairy products, meat and viscera need not be excluded from the diet, except in very specific cases. processed foods (cookies, cakes, packaged juices and soft drinks, soft drinks, sweets, for example). This is because they usually have a much greater impact on the increase in rates, besides offering an excess of fast-absorbing carbohydrates," adds the expert.

Therefore, if beef liver is part of a healthy and diversified menu, it can be very good for our health. Prioritize less fatty preparations, such as grilled, boiled, roasted, or stewed beef.

Read also: Delicious recipes with the ingredients from the BBB 22 stump!

Does beef liver cure flu?

The fake news is old, from 2018. But it has started circulating on Whatsapp again recently, due to the H3N2 influenza outbreak The message states that an alleged director of the Hospital das Clínicas (HC), concerned about the disease, makes several recommendations to combat the disease.

Among the advice, the text mentions eating ox liver to fight the flu. In response to G1 The HCFMUSP clarifies that the audio and the text that are circulating in social networks, in which, supposedly, the Clinical Director of the HC makes an alert about the H3N2 flu, were not made by the hospital," says the note.

Finally, it is also worth remembering that there is no scientific proof that beef liver is capable of ending the disease. This is because no food, by itself, is capable of curing the flu. It is the body's own defense system that actually fights the virus. Thus, medication is only used to relieve the symptoms and help the body recover without major sequelae.

Source: Dayse Paravidino, nutritionist, member of the Brazilian Association of Nutrition (ASBRAN) and the Brazilian Association of Mother-child Nutrition (ASBRANMI).